Open Textbook Initiative

Philosophy and Guidelines, 2018-2019

DEADLINE: Friday, November 30, 11:59 p.m.

Goal

To support faculty in their efforts to replace traditional commercial textbooks with
academically equivalent alternatives that are available at no cost to students.

Project Overview

The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries, with considerable financial support
and direction from the Office of the Provost, will organize and administer awards
ranging from $400.00 to $1600.00 each to faculty members who successfully submit winning
proposals that are considered likely to achieve the outcomes described below.

Objectives

Save students money by eliminating expensive, commercial textbooks

Improve student learning with tailored curricular resources

Support faculty experimentation with open educational resources

Encourage an institutional culture that supports open sharing of scholarship

Philosophy

Scholarly publishing is arguably in a state of transition as new technology is providing
innovative ways to share and disseminate new ideas, such as through the open access
movement. Similarly, alternatives to the use of traditional commercial textbooks
are emerging that offer the potential to reduce the cost of information access for
students and provide an opportunity to enhance the teaching and learning experience
for faculty and students with resources that are more customized and relevant. This
project aims to follow the lead of Temple University[1] and the University of Massachusetts—Amherst by creating an alternate textbook project
for Southern Miss faculty that will benefit students though the promotion of the objectives
defined above.[2]

Guidelines

Proposals must plan to replace at least one required textbook for at least one class;
eliminating required textbooks for more than one class will strengthen the application.

Proposals that leverage existing licensed content, such as articles in library subscription
databases, are especially desirable.

Recipients must participate in corresponding training opportunities on the basics
of open textbooks, copyright law, and library resources and must consult with their
subject librarian to discuss the project at least once.

Proposals will include assessment of student learning and description of the impact
of the financial savings on students.

Projects Not Eligible

Courses taught by part-time faculty

Proposals to use commercial e-text versions of existing print textbooks

Courses already using open access material

Selection Criteria

How well the proposed project meets the outcomes articulated above

The estimated savings to USM students

Transferability of the project to other courses

The potential for the project to be implemented in the 2018-19 academic year.

The inclusion of a clear plan to assess student learning in the course

Additional consideration will be given to proposals that involve either a high enrollment
course or a general education course.

Proposals will be submitted in one of three tiers:

Tier 1 (Adopt) – faculty members will incorporate an existing open textbook into their
course ($400.00 award)

Tier 2 (Modify) – faculty members will incorporate portions of multiple existing open
textbooks along with other freely available educational resources or with materials
available through the library’s collections ($800.00 award)

Tier 3 (Create) – faculty members will write their own open textbook, which will be
housed in Aquila and available for other educators to use free of charge ($1,600.00
award)

Requirements

Those selected for this grant award will:

View three workshops (one hour each) by the end of the Spring 2018 semester

Copyright Law

Overview of Open Textbooks

Open Access and Library Resources available

Schedule a planning consultation with their subject librarian at the beginning of
the Spring 2018 semester

Provide feedback about the program

Commit to keeping materials updated

Distribution of Faculty Stipends

Funds will be distributed in two payments, 25% of the stipend’s value upon initial
selection to the project and 75% upon completion of program requirements.

Submission

Course information (including number, title, size of enrollment, frequency of offering,
current textbook and its cost)

A narrative (500 words) addressing interest in doing this project, background (if
any) in working with open access materials, the nature of the course modifications
proposed, and any challenges or barriers anticipated in carrying out plans. We are
interested in learning about what applicants would like to do, and what the impact
of the efforts on this course and/or other courses at the University will be.

A letter of support from the chair/director of the faculty member’s unit. An additional
letter of support may be included if desired.